Landmark #459 | San Francisco County | Visited: February 23, 2013 | Plaque? NO. 🙁 |
What is it? | Who knows?! |
What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: In the Mellus and Howard Warehouse, erected on this site in 1848, the Society of California Pioneers, oldest historical society in the state, was organized August 31, 1850 to collect and preserve the history of California. W. D. M. Howard was its first president.
OTHER TIDBITS: After purchasing the old Hudson’s Bay Company store in 1846, William Howard and Henry Mellus were constantly thinking about expansion! So they arranged for construction of California’s first brick building and set up shop there in 1848, just in time for the Gold Rush to hit! They would then go on to turn the former HBC store into a hotel! Mr. Howard, who arrived in California in 1839 as a cabin boy, created the Society of California Pioneers to keep ties among those Californians who arrived here before 1850, the year of statehood! It was the first historical society in California and the first west of the Mississippi. It is still run by descendents of California pioneers! |
How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: 555 Montgomery at Clay San Francisco, CA 94111 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~380mi (612km) — 6.4hrs |
When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |